1. Cross Reference To Related Applications
The invention pertains to a computerized multistandard, field convertible, multiregional/multiservice, remote controllable, remote programmable mobile two-way radio system with digital serial bus link, built in programmer and autodiagnostics that is interrelated to the subject matter of the related copending patent applications entitled (1) Control System For Microprocessor And Software Enhanced Communications Equipment, U.S. application Ser. No. 031,004 filed Mar. 27, 1987 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,370; (2) Bidirectional Digital Serial Interface For Communicating Digital Signals Including Digitized Audio Between Microprocessor-Based Control and Transceiver Units of Two-Way Radio Communications Equipment, U.S. application Ser. No. 031,003 filed Mar. 27, 1987; (3) Audio Blanking Fill-In Method and Apparatus For Priority Multi-Channel Receivers, U.S. application Ser. No. 030,594 filed Mar. 27, 1987 which title was amended to, Interrupted Audio Fill-In System for Noise Reduction and Intelligibility Enhancement in Multi-Channel Scanning Receiver Applications and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 4,868,891; (4) Combined Phase And Frequency Modulator For Modulating An Information Signal, U.S. application Ser. No. 030,592 filed Mar. 27, 1987 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,288 ; (5) Variable Time Inversion Algorithm Controlled System For Multi-Level Speech Security, U.S. application Ser. No. 030,499 filed Mar. 27, 1987 and U.S. application Ser. No. 346,282 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,867, the disclosure of which are incorporated herein by reference.
2. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to mobile two-way radio equipment. It is intended to provide a new and better system for such equipment. The advantages include: the capability of such equipment to meet multiple international norms, allow field convertibility to different versions, allow a high degree of hierarchical control of the network by headquarters, allow operation over a wide area or multiple regions, provide the capability to accommodate multiple services, provide outstanding versatility for network growth and changing operational requirements, provide many facilities for the user and allow the addition of many useful peripheral devices. The system of the invention in addition allows remote takeover of mobile radio equipment, allows remote programming of mobile transceivers, provides autodiagnostics with alphanumeric indication, provides remote diagnostics, provides cloning of programs between equipment, provides selectable grouping of frequencies, provides multiple modes of operation, provides multiple levels of priority in manual as well as scan modes, provides one highest priority channel designation common to all channel groups, provides selective calling, allows the transmission and reception of messages including emergency status, provides a highly compact control system, provides the capability to control multiple transceivers in multiple bands through one control unit, allows front panel programming facility with double access security and other advantages.
3. Description of the Prior Art
The System of the invention was developed to meet a long existing need in the `high-end` land/mobile two-way radio domain. Relative to `high-end` transceivers, `low-end` radio equipment are typically designed for local, smaller or only city-wide networks. The `low-end` radios have less sophisticated capabilities relative to the `high-end` radio equipment that are used by demanding users such as public safety agencies.
Prior art `high-end` land/mobile radio equipment are characterized by higher performance, more capabilities, additional facilities and some versatility. They are typically designed to accommodate better control by headquarters and allow some changes in operational requirements. These characteristics are important for stringent and sophisticated users with large organizations, such as utilities and public safety agencies. Due to the inherent nature of such users, the radios must be able to operate over wide areas, including multiple radio coverage zones, and with the participation of multiple categories of users or services. Sometimes, those zones and services are interconnected through various large networks, such as microwave backbone systems, remote repeaters and various radio or telephone links. Sophisticated users often require other facilities such as `tactical` operation (low power car-to-car operation), selective calling, status reports, duplex operation, headquarters to mobile message capability, automatic identification, voice security, data transmission, acknowledgement of messages, resetting of messages, tone system for access to repeaters at remote sites, wide band operation, wide-spaced transmit and receive frequencies, phone patch capability, scanning with priority, voting and other facilities.
Over the years, wide-area multiple service two-way radio networks have typically developed from smaller systems that were designed for specific limited local requirements. Since these requirements were not all identical, integrating the smaller systems eventually into wide area (statewide or nationwide) networks incorporating multiple services has often required very versatile and sophisticated equipment. The problem has been further compounded considering the number of such large networks, each with the idiosyncracies of its component local systems and users. Thus, a prior art two-way land/mobile radio designed for one special large network and organization may not be fully suitable to meet the requirements of another large network that has evolved differently and where the needs of that organization are different. Added to this are the complications imposed on the `high-end` radio designer where the equipment is to meet the future growth requirements of the large organization along with versatility to cope with undefined future changes that may occur in operational requirements.
In the past, large network designers have often had to take into consideration the limitations of available equipment in engineering two-way radio networks. Where no existing equipment could meet the organization's special requirements, the user had to resort to specifying custom-engineered equipment. This caused delays due to the special engineering required and often added to the cost of the equipment. Also, being one-of-a-kind and custom-engineered, land/mobile transceivers sometimes have been plagued by the `teething` problems of the special design.
To the supplier catering to such customizing, the special engineering caused other problems. Special development diversions had often to be created to accommodate the customizing. The manufacturing process also tended to be more of the `batch processing` or `job shopping` variety rather than a smooth flow. This often resulted in irregular shipments with consequent irregular receivables.
Sometimes, no matter how willing a radio supplier would be to customize, the engineering tasks to meet the special requirements would be too extensive in the way of modifications or diversions. This would make the cost and deliveries prohibitive.
From an international perspective, there are also multiple international norms to be considered. Besides the FCC/EIA standards, there are many other international standards that apply to two-way land/mobile radio equipment. Expressed in simple terms, the different countries may be thought of as being `Anglophile` or `Francophile`. Thus, many countries adopt standards that may be close to or bear a resemblance to British or French norms. There are, however, other norms as well as many nuances of the basic three norms mentioned. Many developed nations have already established their specific standards. In developing nations, however, there are areas which have adopted one of the three basic systems mentioned above, adopted variations thereof, developed their own standards or remained undecided. This presents many problems to international consultants who try to anticipate future directions in undecided areas and do not want to be restrictive in specifying equipment.
In terms of hardware, the U.S. market has both low and high R.F. output power requirements and tends to favor high power equipment for `high-end` requirement. Thus, R.F. output requirements for stringent U.S. users can typically reach 100 Watts, while 15 or 25 Watts in Europe is quite common.
Yet another problem is related to whether `high-end` equipment is purchased in a dash or trunk-mount configuration. The issue is the adaptability of the equipment to future configuration requirements or to future vehicle limitations.
All these differences in norms present a problem for U.S. or international manufacturers of `high-end` two-way radio equipment.
Obviously, a totally new approach has long been required. The advent of increasingly powerful and affordable microprocessors, memory devices and digital techniques plus a novel design for accommodating field-convertibility of the equipment's configurations allows such a new approach. The result is the system of this invention, providing immense versatility for sophisticated users and large networks plus many new facilities and capabilities. In addition, this system allows the equipment to operate within all the parameters of the prevailing world-wide technical norms.